2024 Faculty Courses School of Life Science and Technology Department of Life Science and Technology Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
Cell Physiology
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
- Instructor(s)
- Kazunori Tachibana / Hitoshi Nakatogawa / Naonobu Fujita / Fumi Kano / Tetsuya Kadonosono
- Class Format
- Lecture (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Tue / 3-4 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LST.A404
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The cytoplasm is a place where cells transduce signals to respond to various extracellular stimuli such as growth factors and hormones. It is also a place where a variety of organelles play their roles. The organelles do not work independently but they continuously interact with one another by transporting various molecules. The cytoskeleton is essentially involved in the transport of molecules, as well as in higher cellular events such as cell migration and apoptosis. This course will provide a comprehensive overview of signal transduction, cytoskeleton, organellar structures and functions, protein transport between organelles. Molecular fundamentals as well as physiological and pathological aspects will also be discussed.
This course aims to provide universal view and insights into the cellular structure and function.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
Discuss individual cellular events with a universal view on the total cellular system.
Keywords
Signal transduction, organelle, proteolysis, membrane traffic, cytoskeleton
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
In the first 10 min of each lecture, a summary of the previous lecture is given as necessary, followed by the main points of the day's lecture. In the last 15 min of each lecture, a quiz may be given to find out students' understandings. To support Japanese students' understandings, brief explanation may be given in Japanese as necessary. The lectures will given via ZOOM.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Overview of organelles in eukaryotic cells | Students must be able to explain the primary functions of all organelles in eukaryotic cells. |
| Class 2 | The specialized form of organelles in differentiated cells | Students must be able to explain structure-function relationships of the specialized form of organelles in the differentiated cells, such as muscles. |
| Class 3 | Cytoskeleton and cell motility | Students must be able to explain the major functions of cytoskeleton as well as the cell motility. |
| Class 4 | Motor proteins | Students must be able to explain the major functions of motor proteins. |
| Class 5 | Actin filament and cell motility | Students must be able to explain the major functions of actin filament as well as the cell motility. |
| Class 6 | Microtubule | Students must be able to explain the major functions of microtubules. |
| Class 7 | Signaling pathways | Students must be able to explain the major signaling pathways. |
| Class 8 | Signaling pathways in cancer | Students must be able to explain the major signaling pathways in cancer. |
| Class 9 | Basics of membrane traffic | Students must be able to explain the basic mechanisms by which proteins are transported between different organelles or to the extracellular space. |
| Class 10 | Membrane traffic between the ER and Golgi; from the Golgi to lysosomes | Students must be able to explain the process of protein transport between the ER and Golgi as well as from the Golig to lysosomes. |
| Class 11 | Endocytosis and exocytosis | Students must be able to explain the process by which extracellular materials are incorporated into cells and delivered to the lysosome; proteins are secreted to the extracellular space. |
| Class 12 | Autophagy | Students must be able to explain the roles and molecular mechanisms of autophagy, which delivers cytoplasmic proteins, organelles, and cytoplasmic pathgens to the lysosome. |
| Class 13 | Organelle inheritance | Students must be able to explain the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle-dependent morphological changes of organelles in mammalian cells. |
| Class 14 | Methods in cell biology | Students must be able to explain the several methods for analyzing the biological processes in the cell. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Not specified.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Reference books: Molecular Biology of the Cell (Alberts et al., Garland Science), Molecular Cell Biology (Rodish et al., W H Freeman & Co). Handouts will be distributed at the beginning of class when necessary.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Based on two reports, whether students achieved the above outcomes is assessed.
Related courses
- LST.A401 ： Molecular and Cellular Biology
Prerequisites
None.